Greta Small to Carry Flag at Winter Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony

Greta Small to Carry Flag at Winter Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony

Sixteen-year-old alpine skier Greta Small is thrilled to be selected as the flagbearer for the 2012 Australian Winter Youth Olympic Team. The announcement was made at an official reception in Innsbruck, Austria.

'I was really shocked when Alisa Camplin asked me and then really happy when it sunk in," Small said.
'It has been a dream of mine for so long to represent Australia and march in an Opening Ceremony. Being named as flagbearer has already made this Olympic experience amazing."

Small will carry the flag at the Opening Ceremony on Friday 13 January inside historic Bergisel Stadium - home to the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympic Opening Ceremonies and ski jump competitions.

Small is no stranger to Innsbruck spending much of her year living in Pitztal, outside of Innsbruck, in order to build her path to being one of the best young alpine skiers in the world. Incredibly though she has never been to Bergisel.

'It is actually one of the few places in Innsbruck I haven't been," she said. 'I understand the history and significance of the stadium so it will be very special. Innsbruck is like a home away from home and my parents and trainers will be there cheering me on." When in Australia, Small splits her time between home in Perth and training on the slopes of Mount Hotham. She was born in Wangaratta and studies by correspondence through SIDE - School of Isolated and Distance Education, Leederville, Perth.

After an outstanding Australian winter season where she won Australian junior and senior titles, she raced extensively in New Zealand with success and just last month had a breakthrough podium finish in a senior North American Continental Cup race in Canada.

Small is the first Australian woman to medal at this senior international level since her hero and 1998 Olympic bronze medallist Zali Steggall. Small will contest the Super-G, combined, slalom and giant slalom at Innsbruck 2012.

Australian Chef de Mission Alisa Camplin had the difficult task of choosing a flagbearer from the 13 oathletes who will represent Australia at the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games.

' Selecting our Olympic Team flagbearer was a tough choice. Ultimately Greta's international ranking across four events, and her high performance approach to competition convinced me that she was the perfect choice to lead our Team," Camplin said.

Australian athletes arrived on Monday from all over the world to settle into the Village and get kitted out in their uniforms before training commences. Competition gets underway on Saturday with Australia having two early medal chances in snowboarder Alex Fitch and Small.

Over 1,000 of the world's most talented 15-18 year-old winter athletes are competing in Innsbruck from 14 to 22 January, and embracing the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship.

See our interview with Greta Small, here: www.girl.com.au/greta-small-winter-youth-olympic-games-interview.htm